AP Discount - Sports vs Dolphin vs Boardwalk Inn

[PrincessDana]

Hi All!

My first time using my AP discount for a 5-day September trip. I originally booked All-Star Sports because I couldn't believe how cheap the room rates were. I was just there in December and really enjoyed the newly renovated rooms! But now I'm wondering if it's time for an upgrade!!

The Dolphin and the Boardwalk Inn have great rates during that time period as well. My husband loves Hollywood Studios and I feel like we would take advantage of the Deluxe Extra Magic Hours for both MK and Epcot during our stay.

The totals for room-only 5-days stays for each resort are:

All-Star Sports: 641.87

Dolphin: 1236.38 (including nightly resort fee).

Boardwalk Inn: 2076.02.

All rooms are standard views.

I'm a little worried about the Dolphin transportation to Magic Kingdom, someone suggested walking over to the Boardwalk and catching their direct bus. I'm also a little worried about International Gateway entrance, I've never used it and we love the rides in the front of the park more than World Showcase. I'm also a little apprehensive about the lack of quick service dining at the Boardwalk Inn.

I just cannot make a decision. Cost isn't really a factor, but in my heart I'm a very frugal gal!! We have a couple of sit-down meals already planned and the Magic Kingdom fireworks dessert party as well. So room costs won't factor into any other decisions about dining or other items. We don't buy much in the way of souvenirs. My husband things splitting the difference at the Dolphin is the best idea. But those rooms are not as newly renovated -- I know that Boardwalk Inn rooms are brand new!!

Anyone have any opinions?

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

So I've stayed at all 3 and really AS Sports is not even in the same realm as the epcot/crescent lake area resorts. It's a value and you really can't fairly compare it to the other 2.

Dolphin/Swan resorts are nice, however, they're not disney resorts, so while you get disney benefits, some people do not like that it's not got the disney CM charm and overall disney vibe. To me, we've stayed there so much over the years, it is disney but just sharing that a lot of people don't love that. S/D is great for walkability to DHS/Ep, of course, it's a little bit closer to DHS and a bit further to Epcot from BW. Overall, it's a great location. The rooms at S/D can be hit or miss, some rooms are more tired than others as it's been a few years since they were refreshed.
And keep in mind, the beds at dolphin are full beds and not queens, for 2 bed bookings. Other than that, we really love Swan/Dolphin but of the two, prefer Swan. There is some outdoor construction going on at dolphin right now but that may be a moot point by September. Believe it's balcony construction.

For Boardwalk, we loved it. The resort is so uniquely themed and we really enjoy the location. I do know there's some construction going around the boardwalk resort area but I'm not sure how intrusive it is or isn't, you may want to look into when that wraps up.

If cost isn't a factor, I'd pick the BW hands down. You have disney buses, access to boats/walking to parks, deluxe amenities, newly refreshed rooms, access to all the same dining as the other crescent lake resorts and Disney CM. The only slight negative with Boardwalk is fast/qs dining, you have to walk outside on the BW to get to the bakery area. Beyond that, it's a great resort.

 

[barb969]

Boardwalk

 

[gottalovepluto]

Split the difference at Dolphin. $800 could buy a lot of Minnie Vans from Dolphin to MK. Unless the bed situation will bother, then switch to Swan or Swan Reserve if available. If they’re noticeably more expensive then BWI.

If you don’t end up liking IG, you’ll know for the future it isn’t for you. Most people like it so I would try it once.

 

[kylenne]

Swolphin. I don't know when you're going in September but I just booked the Dolphin for Labor Day weekend on the AP rate because it was about $20/nt cheaper than Swan and I really don't care about about the bed situation on a solo trip (I sleep on a full at home). I grew up staying there on our family trips and have never understood the "it doesn't feel like Disney" complaints, these hotels are sitting right on the Boardwalk. It doesn't get much "Disney" feeling than walking along there at night. S&D are also nice because everything's covered and everything is in the same building unlike BWI. QS options are way better at S&D as well. The bus situation is really overrated tbh, the drop off at AK is actually better for S&D than the Disney buses, and like PP said you can just take a Minnie Van if the TTC is too onerous. Point blank there is nothing at BWI to justify that huge jump in price to me. And I'm a diehard Disney deluxe person, mind.

IG is the superior way to go at rope drop until Guardians gets off of VQ, imo. We actually rope dropped both entrances on our trip last month since we had a split between Yacht Club and the Poly and if we hadn't had G+ on the day we rope dropped Epcot from the monorail we would have been screwed trying to do anything more than TT. Nothing at the front of the park requires rope dropping except Test Track.

 

[Minnie1222]

I had to stay at Dolphin for one night because I couldn't get the full length at a Disney resort. I saw their bathroom and had to suppress a panic attack since I've never ever seen a bathroom that small at any hotel. The room was dark although it had 2 balconies and an extra window. The only nice thing was the view.

 

[OKW Lover]

Hi All!

My first time using my AP discount for a 5-day September trip. I originally booked All-Star Sports because I couldn't believe how cheap the room rates were. I was just there in December and really enjoyed the newly renovated rooms! But now I'm wondering if it's time for an upgrade!!

The Dolphin and the Boardwalk Inn have great rates during that time period as well. My husband loves Hollywood Studios and I feel like we would take advantage of the Deluxe Extra Magic Hours for both MK and Epcot during our stay.

The totals for room-only 5-days stays for each resort are:

All-Star Sports: 641.87

Dolphin: 1236.38 (including nightly resort fee).

Boardwalk Inn: 2076.02.

All rooms are standard views.

I'm a little worried about the Dolphin transportation to Magic Kingdom, someone suggested walking over to the Boardwalk and catching their direct bus. I'm also a little worried about International Gateway entrance, I've never used it and we love the rides in the front of the park more than World Showcase. I'm also a little apprehensive about the lack of quick service dining at the Boardwalk Inn.

I just cannot make a decision. Cost isn't really a factor, but in my heart I'm a very frugal gal!! We have a couple of sit-down meals already planned and the Magic Kingdom fireworks dessert party as well. So room costs won't factor into any other decisions about dining or other items. We don't buy much in the way of souvenirs. My husband things splitting the difference at the Dolphin is the best idea. But those rooms are not as newly renovated -- I know that Boardwalk Inn rooms are brand new!!

Anyone have any opinions?

The Dolphin resort is probably the better choice. Yes, tis twice as much as All Star, but you get a larger room and you are very close to two parks.

Bus transportation to the MK can be a pain unless you walk over to the Yacht Club or BW. But that's not too strenuous. The bus to AK wouldn't be significantly different from the regular buses from BW/YC.

Walking to International Gateway isn't a serious issue. You can easily walk from there to your favorite attractions in the front of Epcot. And, at the end of the night when the fireworks are over the walk back to your resort is easy.

 

[sky13]

I actually have a split stay booked in September for 4 nights All Star Sports, 2 nights Boardwalk Inn, (2 nights Contemporary), 2 nights Dolphin - so covering all 3 of the resorts you are deciding between! Clearly I couldn't decide...

If I had to choose one of the 3 though I'd probably go for Dolphin. I like being able to walk to two parks plus have access to EEH!

I really like International Gateway. On my trip last November I thought it was a nicer way to enter the park than the main entrance, especially with all the construction going on in Future World. With the IG I can try to ignore the construction (though still have to get past it to get to Soarin/Spaceship Earth/etc)...

 

[Miffy]

I've never stayed at the Dolphin, but I stayed at the Swan once and fled after 2 nights. It's a perfectly nice hotel but I felt like I was at Perfectly Nice Hotel in Anywheresville, USA. That is not the vibe I want at WDW. Also, it's a convention resort and there were many many conventioneers at the hotel when I was there. Also not something that spells "vacation" to me.

I have no experience at the Boardwalk, but it's more than 3x the price of the All Stars. That would be hard for me to take.

Have you considered any of the mods? Is POFQ available for your dates? Sorry to throw a wrench into the works, but FQ is my second favorite (affordable by me) WDW resort after AKL At FQ you get beautiful grounds, a resort with a small footprint, a boat to DS, a rarely-shared bus (and never shared before noon and even when it is shared, it's the first stop), and a way nicer room than an All Stars. Also a better pool. And it's a very short bus ride to both Epcot and DHS.

 

[PrincessDana]

I've never stayed at the Dolphin, but I stayed at the Swan once and fled after 2 nights. It's a perfectly nice hotel but I felt like I was at Perfectly Nice Hotel in Anywheresville, USA. That is not the vibe I want at WDW. Also, it's a convention resort and there were many many conventioneers at the hotel when I was there. Also not something that spells "vacation" to me.

I have no experience at the Boardwalk, but it's more than 3x the price of the All Stars. That would be hard for me to take.

Have you considered any of the mods? Is POFQ available for your dates? Sorry to throw a wrench into the works, but FQ is my second favorite (affordable by me) WDW resort after AKL At FQ you get beautiful grounds, a resort with a small footprint, a boat to DS, a rarely-shared bus (and never shared before noon and even when it is shared, it's the first stop), and a way nicer room than an All Stars. Also a better pool. And it's a very short bus ride to both Epcot and DHS.

I've stayed at at three of the mods in the past - FQ, CB, and CS. But honestly would just as soon stay at All-Stars, now that the rooms are newly renovated. I was thinking of deluxe for the evening extra magic hours since we may avoid the parks during the heat of the day.

 

[Miffy]

I've stayed at at three of the mods in the past - FQ, CB, and CS. But honestly would just as soon stay at All-Stars, now that the rooms are newly renovated. I was thinking of deluxe for the evening extra magic hours since we may avoid the parks during the heat of the day.

Gotcha. Avoiding the heat of the day is a good idea.

If you can afford it, go with the Boardwalk, since it's a Disney property. But you might love the Dolphin! Many posters here do.

 

[Anthony1971]

As far as the deluxe extra magic hours: MK people know and the park is open late so the first hour is a long wait as everyone gets on a line. The last 2 most things will be walk on. EPCOT well the rides are spaced far apart so hard to go on more than a few rides after the first hour that is. I would say your money is better spent on an after hours party as you get more time and they end at a much more reasonable hour if that is a big reason to stay deluxe.

 

[Minnie1222]

The rooms at Boardwalk Inn just got renovated. Very quaint and cheerful. I usually don't take pictures of interiors, but couldn't resist such cuteness.

 

[BeachMouse1]

I have stayed at the Swan when needed a quick night. It’s not my favorite especially if you like that Disney feel but the location is excellent. We just love the Boardwalk and stay there often. We always prefer a Disney hotel but when we stayed at the Swan we used the Boardwalk busses. The Swan balconies we had were virtually not usable.
Also keep in mind the Swan and Dolphin charge a resort fee I believe $40 a day and parking if you have a car that is around $35 a day so your looking at an extra $75 a night.

 

[toesmom]

That is a huge price difference and you spend most of your time at the parks, I would stay at All Star Sports and use the difference in the money to take breaks in restaurants and not feel bad for price spent for food. Dolphin was not great, we stayed there 5 nights last year, beds were way too small. Bed size is double, rooms were worn out, I did not enjoy the stay. For that price difference, stay at All Star Sports. You can pay for an extra trip using your annual pass with the savings. Just my opinion, but that is what I would do definitely.

 

[Jacq7414]

We just got back from a trip at BWI and I absolutely loved it. I would stay there again in a heartbeat. The lack of QS didn’t really bother us and the international gateway entrance is great, IMO.